Historic Top 10 Finish for Ben Healy in Men’s Road Race
Following the excitement of last weekend when Ryan Mullen made history to become the highest placed Irish finisher in the Men’s Time Trial. All eyes turned to the streets of Paris for the Men’s Road Race today, Saturday 3rd of August.
Joining Mullen, and fresh from a successful Tour de France, was Ben Healy, who went on to record another historic finish, coming 10th in the Men’s Road Race – the highest place recorded by an Irish athlete in the race.
Healy and Ryan combined to form an impressive attacking duo, showing not only great skill but incredible teamwork. Just 70km in to the 272.1km race, Mullen went on the attack with three other riders, and bridged to the leaders who were eventually distanced by the power of the Irish rider.
Healy counter attacked in typically forthright style from the main peloton alongside Alexiy Lutsenko with 92km remaining. After joining Mullen up front with 76km to go, who notably emptied the tank to put Healy in with a shout, Mullen dropped back 10km later, and Healy pressed on with the Kazak rider in tow.
Healy was joined by a quality chase group and remained in a lead break of three inside the last 30km when eventual race winner Remco Evenepoel and silver medal winner Valentin Madouas pressed on.
Absorbed by the chasers Healy still hung on with considerable grit an eight-rider group 1m16s down sprinting for the bronze medal at the Trocadero in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower on a memorable day for Irish cycling.
After his breakaway heroics Ryan Mullen completed the race in 60th position, just under 16m 56s behind Evenepoel.
Speaking afterwards Healy said:
“I did what I could and played my cards the best way I knew how to, which gave me the best opportunity of trying to go for a medal. I’m super proud of the performance and the team. I’ve got to be happy with that. Maybe if I had a little more in the tank I could’ve been super close to a medal but top ten is something to be proud of.”
The 2024 Men’s Road Race, differed from previous years with a smaller field of 90 athletes and the longest course which featured 2,800m elevation gain.
Megan Armitage will compete in the Women’s Road Race tomorrow, starting at 1pm Irish time.